As a native Gaelic speaker from the Isle of Harris who grew up in Gaelic Medium Education, I feel a great amount of responsibility towards my language and culture. Last year I made a children's activity book for children to fill in on the Loch Seaforth ferry from Ullapool to Stornoway, this year I wanted to make something a bit more grown up for myself and my Gaelic speaking siblings and peers, as well as any English speaking enthusiasts. Through research I found Alexander Nicolson’s edition of MacIntosh’s Collection of Gaelic Proverbs and Familiar Phrases, I collected 8 centered around love and made them matching Lino prints. I also experimented with collagraphy.
I was reluctant at first to have any English in my book, I thought it was important for it all to be in Gaelic. However I realsied it would be more exclusionary to not include the English translations and that this could be a new way for some people to interact with the language. Both prints and phrases on the same place on opposite sides of the paper also represent my bilingual abilities and the two languages and cultures I'm a part of. Hebridean culture has had to bend and submit to the English speaking mainlanders for generations, but they are both a part of me and both must be embraced.
I was reluctant at first to have any English in my book, I thought it was important for it all to be in Gaelic. However I realsied it would be more exclusionary to not include the English translations and that this could be a new way for some people to interact with the language. Both prints and phrases on the same place on opposite sides of the paper also represent my bilingual abilities and the two languages and cultures I'm a part of. Hebridean culture has had to bend and submit to the English speaking mainlanders for generations, but they are both a part of me and both must be embraced.
